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Comments
IMHO...the long term tests tell a lot more about the car than any other type of test.
Very curious...it might be enlightening for all the Honda lovers/Mazda bashers out there, FORD engine and all!!
(1) Turn the A/C on.
(2) Turn the HAVC knob to the Defrost setting.
(3) Add HEAT,turn the temp control towards the red band but not into it.
(4) This dehumidifies the interior.
(5) Adjust for comfort.
fowler3
(Also your profile does not show your e-mail, it's not publicly visible)
such configuration - with Bose package, but 6CD
changer replaced with mp3 player - it just took
the dealer three+ weeks to order the mp3 player - they didn't have any in stock. I don't have any pictures - it doesn't look anything different.
Thanks for telling me about my email not being visible.
BTW, showed a pic of Stretchsje's 6 to a colleague at work today and he said: "Is this Mazda's new 626? It looks great!" Went on to tell him how it's a completely different car and how fun it is to drive - he looked a bit puzzled at me. Oh well... I tried
Very surprised with the comments. First he knows it's the new Mazda, puzzled when I said "fun to drive", then bashes Honda out of the blue - might have something to do with all those Fast and Furious Civics I suspect
Dinu
Maybe I missed something, but I am surprised that there is not more discussion of the long term Edmunds Mazda 6 test. The Edmunds editors seem pretty impressed, and that is even with an Accord in the test fleet.
Yes, I thought that long term test was absolutely glowing- more so than nearly all other long term tests I've read here on Edmunds, and in particular even more positive than the 6's main competitors.IMHO...the long term tests tell a lot more about the car than any other type of test.
Here's the link.
I like: "Brian found even less to complain about during his time with the 6. 'If someone forced me at gunpoint to find something wrong with the Mazda 6,' he offered, 'I would have to say that I don't like the way an audible 'beep' is heard each time I use one of the steering wheel-mounted audio controls.'"
And by the way, this car drives surprisingly well at 190 kph. Had it on the open road this past weekend for the first time since the break in period ended and hit a lonely stretch of highway.
2. Have you found that you can get more songs on one CD-R (as MP3's) than what you got with 6 CD's?
3. Other people have commented that the sound quality of some MP3 players is not as good as a regular CD... have you noticed this?
A typical CD-R holds about 650MB of data. A typical song lasts about 3-4 minutes, which, in 128kbps MP3 format, is about 3-4MB. Now, most audio CD's contain between 8-13 songs. So, on the average, you can fit about 10 audio CD's worth of MP3-converted music on a standard CD-R. Another benefit of MP3s vs. a 6CD changer is that if you only really like one or two tracks from an album, you only need to store those tracks as MP3s, not all tracks from that album. So, you end up getting a fair bit more music selection on a single MP3 CD than even a 6CD changer.
Of course, the downside of this is that if your music collection is larger than 10 CD's then you have to carry a variety of MP3 CDs that contain your music library.
MP3 sound quality depends only somewhat on the player's decoder. Sound quality more often depends on the bit rate of the MP3 file itself. Higher bit rates require larger file sizes, so there's a tradeoff.
(Now, back on topic.)
It would be great if the MZ6 audio deck contained a line-in so you could connect a hard-disk-based MP3 player, such as an Apple iPod, to the system.
Does anyone know if the MZ6 Bose system has a line-in? I guess at the worst, you could get the tape-deck option and use a line-in/cassette converter.
I've been reading this discussion board for the last six months or so. This is my first post.
After seriously considering several different new cars: VW Jetta GLI VR6, Acura RSX and Honda Accord to replace my '99 Accord EX, I drove the 6 and LOVED it!
Last week, I drove 120 miles to Atlanta to pick up my spankin' new Mazda 6S, black, black leather, 5-speed, sport package. (no Bose or SAB/SAC)
On my way back to Columbus, GA...stuck in Atlanta stop & go traffic...two seperate cars stopped beside me, rolled their windows down to tell me what a great looking car it was. What a great feeling!
I paid the Edmunds TVM price with no hassels.
Still grinning from ear to ear after 1000 miles.
unless, you have the appearance package, which gives you the gfx looks of the sports package??
Well, I thought she would know better, but still some people think this is a new version of the 626. Oh well.
Here is a brief update by the way. I have about 2800 miles on it. It runs absolutely great. The handling somehow improved compared to when it was brand new. No rattles, nothing to complain about, just pure fun to drive. My fuel consumption has been around 22.5 mpg on city traffic and about 24.5 mpg with 80% highway 20% city traffic.
I even had a sales person tell me they "changed the 626 so much they even hanged the name". I thought that was original.
Let's see, that would make the Acura TSX just the "new" Vigor, and the '02 Altima was just the "new" version of the last generation Altima, right? Or would the TSX be the "new", 4-door version of the CL? Oh yeah, and the RX-8 will just be the "new" RX-7, and the 350X is just the "new" 300ZX. I love it.
When I went to test drive the Accord the sales guy told me the MZ6 was really just the old 626 with a different body, but everything else was the same. What a hoot!
Competing salesreps either don't know the competition or don't exactly have a strong motive to tell customers the competition's advantages.
If Mazda didn't want people to think the new 6 was indeed greatly related to the old 626, they had zillions of other names they could have chosen, They did not.
And part of the problem may be in the hearer. The woman who told her friend the 6 was the new 626 could have been a proud owner of a 626. You never know!
http://www.detnews.com/2003/autosinsider/0306/19/b01-197177.htm
Just got my 6 three days ago and I love it. One problem though it has been raining here and when I use the wipers they are making a pretty loud noise on the windshield. Seems like they are rubbing pretty bad. Brought it back to dealer who replaced with blade refills but still making a loud noise and rubbing on the way back down. Not sure if this is normal for the car. Anyone notice that the wipers are louder then other cars. I want to go back to dealer again but i think he thinks I am nuts. Thinking may'be the whole balade is too tight - any comments or ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks!!!
Me: "Mazda6"
Honda sales guy: "Oh, that's just the 626 with a different body"
Me: "No, it's a new model"
Honda sales guy: "Well, the engine and transmission are the same"
Me: "No, they're new"
Honda sales guy: "Well, they reused a lot of parts then"
Me: "No, actually hardly any"
Honda sales guy: <looks at me like I'm stupid, or nuts>
They used the same inline 5 cylinder and a tranny.
The RL was the "new" Legend. Again same engine.
And the RSX is the "new" Integra. Even thought the RSX is totally different people still considered it the new Integra.
And all of those were written in Magazines.
Tomcat it's not "slightly" and that's an old subject. Pat said shut up about it a while ago. But of course, as I said, someone would bring it back up.
If Toyota replaced the Corrolla with a small 4 door named the ToyotaC everyone would consider it the new Corrolla. It's still a small 4 door. Just like the 626 and the Mazda6 are both mid-size 4 doors.
This room is quick to judge the buying public "herd followers", well most of that herd couln't care less that the Mazda6 is all new. It's still a family sedan built by Mazda just like the 626.
That's why Toyota is getting away with the Corolla not having independent rear suspension this year and still selling them like gangbusters.
Car salesmen are the least people I get opinion from. Better to get it from here at the car forums.
I noticed that in the Camry forums, they do not talk too much about any other cars. I think Toyota have earned a good name that the owners are very comfortable with what they have (not that they do not have complaints). A lot of people in most of the forums think that the Camry is just not a fun car. Toyota probably won't listen to us - year to Date May Camry sold 170,531 (7,472 more than the Accords).
Mazda6 will reach that level of prominence the way Mazda has been designing their cars lately and the way current owners are happy with the 6 (at least the way I see it in this forum). YTD May, the 6 already outsold the 626 (again just for sales comparison, not comparing the cars).
Mazda may not be doing the right thing in terms of Marketing (we heard of Management shakeup) but I think they know they have a good product now in the 6. If they don' take advantage of this, then it is their fault.
As for the 626 and 6 the 6 is a different car. The 626 was a bread and butter car while the 6 is a "sport" or "niche" car.
That had to be the same guy that told me the Pilot is a real truck.
He couldn't tell me which Honda pickup it was based on though.
"but without Bose and SAB/SAC in both engine choices and both trans. choices."
I thought SAB's were standard in the s? I know I saw it on Mazda's web site somewhere. Is that not true?
Check it out for yourself at http://www.hwysafety.org.
The RL was also substancially different in ride/handling/look from the Legend. But people still identified it as the large sedan from Acura previously known as Legend.
The RSX is also NOT an Integra. Different from the ground up but still equated to Integra anywhere you look.
Look what Ford did to the Cougar. If Ford can turn a RWD personal coupe into a FWD sporty hatchback and still call it a Cougar, then Mazda turning a FWD family sedan into a FWD family sedan with a sport package isn't gonna make people think it's an entirely different car.
The RSX is a sharp handling, high strung, sporty 3 door hatchback. So was the Integra.
The Mazda6 is a sharp handling, exciting looking, quick, sporty 4 door. The most recent 626 was not.
Yeah, but only Mazda6 owners, dealers, and readers of auto enthusiast magazines (and this thread on edmunds TH) know that. The majority of the auto consumers out there don't know that.
I hate how so many cars these days have such small trunk openings, really making access to the trunk a chore for large items. I regularly cart around a fairly awkward item, which simply rules out a whole slew of cars.
I had the dealer add the 6-disc CD changer. The standard audio system seems fine, though I would have paid the extra for Bose if I could have gotten it. I am very satisfied with the car. I didn't see any other 6's here for a long time -- now I seem to see them everywhere. (I saw a blue one last night, and a black one with paper tags this morning.) I was concerned that the leather interior would be uncomfortable here (I HAD to have the moonroof, otherwise would have gotten cloth) but I've been pleasantly surprised -- I actually don't think it's any hotter than cloth would have been.
There is one thing about my car I will have to have looked at: a "knocking" sound in the front suspension that seems to show up when the front wheels are moving up and down and turning left at the same time. It doesn't sound like metal-to-metal contact, more like a hard bushing that's loose. There a thread on the issue on the Mazda6club forum. I'm waiting to see what the fix will turn out to be -- the car drives fine, anyway, and I'd rather not make multiple trips to the dealer. I'll post more info if I find out anything (or if it gets worse.)
The RSX is the car I would buy if it weren't for these other strange people that live in my house and need to be driven places occasionally. So the 6 may become my surrogate sport coupe.
IMO, every '6 should have the 17's. I love 'em.
Also, the 2000 impala shared very little with the generation before it, 1996 Impala was V8, rear wheel drive and LARGE!!!! And mostly I see "car enthusiasts" driving the 96 versions.
The "new" Impala is a distant cousin to the ones folks remember from the 80s and 90s... much more of a family sedan (or old folks car, judging by who I see driving them) yet, people seemed to know what I was talking about when I said I'm driving the "new Impala"
I think the confusion over what a "6" is is MUCH bigger. People absolutely don't know what I'm talking about when I tell them what I drive.
It's getting pretty funny anymore, the car has been on the street since mid- Dec!!!
P.S. This incentive will also work if a immediate family member has a mazda, the vehicle also does not need to be traded-in.
required proof is a valid registration, title, finance or purchase contract.
I am awaiting the hatch and wagon and factory installed Sirius.
Any word on the latter, all ye dealer folk?
When will we have any details on any changes for 2004 in the USA?
Again, Mazda goofed becuase this new deal should come with fanfare!, not stealthily like this.
Mazda. Bang a gong!
In case you didn't notice the post that started this was that the Mazda6 is not the new 626. Well to 95% of the nation it is.
miata10ae Jun 19, 2003 1:18am
Now for the biggest circle of all when I point that out with several examples someone takes ONE of the examples and tries to prove me wrong. Then your post comes along and say I'M the one in circles because I answer posts directed at me. It's a cycle. We are all in the twilight zone. Ooooooh.
Obviously you haven't read the board in a while. I haven't given any ideas on Mazda's well being. Not here. And the sales figures deal was dropped a while ago. I even kept it dropped after a couple posts tried to revive it. Maybe you ought to read more.
Just as his RSX analogy went so does the 626/Mazda6.
When you look a non-sport 6 you see a mid-size 4 door sedan same as the 626. If you don't drive the car, which most folks haven't, it's an updated Mazda sedan a new 626. We're lemmings ya know.
If it's a negative to be associated with the 626 will I'm not going to argue that one. I know the earlier ones were great cars with the turbo 2.2L engine. But then again back then they used to have coupe version of the 626. Until they changed the name of the coupe version to MX6(curiously similar to Mazda6) to try to separate it from the sedan a la Camry/Solara.
By the way I'm not anti-Mazda. I've owned several. 1996 RX7, 1998 RX7 Turbo Aniiversary Edition, 1997 Mazda B2200, and a 2001 Protege. The only reason I don't have my Pro to this day is that the engine was too buzzy at the elevated speeds I tend to drive.
If anything I'm anti-exaggeration, anti-lie, maybe a little too pro facts. Excuse me for being a realist.